The present disclosure is directed towards a disconnect for an electrical circuit. In general, disconnects employing a plug and socket combination provide a convenient and safe way to replace and/or wire circuit elements. In one known disconnect, U.S. Pat. No. 7,771,217, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, a disconnect allowing for the replacement of a circuit, such as a non-residential fluorescent light circuit is provided. In one example, the described disconnect includes a male and female housing compliant with the National Electrical Code (NEC) section 410.73(G) which addresses the problem of replacing ballasts for non-residential fluorescent fixtures in live circuits. In particular, the example disconnect allows for the simultaneous removal of all conductors of the ballast from the source of supply. While the known disconnect is sufficient for connecting and disconnecting conductors on a one-to-one basis, the disconnect may not be easily used to connect multiple connectors to a single connector, such as for example, in a daisy-chain design.
Alternatively, a known push-in-connector, of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,731,552, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, may be utilized to connect multiple conductors together through the use of a busbar. The described connector includes a closed housing having multiple push-in connectors that electrically isolate the conductors from the surrounding elements, while providing good connections between the conductors. The push-in connector described, however, does not allow for the easy removal of the conductors from the housing once inserted, nor does the connector allow for the simultaneous disconnect of the conductors as may be required by code.
Accordingly, there is an identifiable need for a disconnect that provides for a safe and efficient ability to connect multiple conductors to a single source conductor such as, for example, in a daisy chain fashion. The present disclosure provides one such disconnect.